Edward, the Birmingham Zoo's new 18-month-old giraffe, has a light snack in the zoo's savannah area on Friday. (The Birmingham News / Bernard Troncale)

The Birmingham Zoo's newest tenant is an 11-foot-tall "pre-teen" who still has a lot of growing to do.

That would be Edward, the zoo's new male reticulated giraffe. Weighing more than half a ton, Edward arrived at the zoo in September and joined the zoo's outdoor population this week in the savannah area, becoming its third giraffe.

Formerly of the Dickerson Park Zoo in Springfield, Missouri, Edward arrived Sept. 8 in a trailer -- a tall one, obviously -- and began making himself at home. Laura Schillinger, an Africa keeper and giraffe trainer, said Edward is getting to know his fellow giraffes, Jalil and Willow.

Giraffes, which are the world's tallest land mammals, can grow to 17 feet tall and jump over objects up to nine feet high. The zoo is in talks to acquire more giraffes but is focused at the moment on elephants.

Construction on the zoo's new Trails of Africa exhibit is expected to finish at the end of this month, with the elephants to begin arriving afterward. Zoo officials hope to open the exhibit in spring 2011.

Edward's quarantine period was standard procedure for the zoo. When acquiring a new mammal or bird, the zoo isolates the animal for a period of at least 30 days to monitor its behavior and look for signs of stress, parasites or disease. After testing and observation, the animal is allowed to join the population.

As the animal eases into a daily routine, the keepers then work with the animal through conditioning. This involves a keeper giving the giraffe a command and using positive reinforcement, such as a treat, if Edward obeys. If not, the keeper will walk away.

"A lot of the training has to do with medical reasons, such as tests or vaccines," Schillinger said. "When we administer vaccines, we need the animals to hold still. This is one way to condition them."

Edward likes chewing on bamboo and enjoys sweet potatoes, apples and carrots. He's also going on walks to get accustomed to his home.

"He's going to have a personality," Schillinger said. "He's kind of touchy. You may try to get him to do something, and he'll move like he's saying, 'I'm not going to do that for you.' I think the attitude of the other giraffes is rubbing off on him."